We provide students with an understanding of the structures and processes of human society—from everyday interactions with friends, coworkers, and family members to macro-level processes of global magnitude. The sociology curriculum offers a theoretical and methodological foundation for examining social, cultural, and political forces and analyzing how they shape people’s behavior, interpretations, social status, and well-being. Through exposure to a wide array of quantitative, qualitative, and historical research, sociology students learn to study the social world in a way that is both rigorous and flexible.
Faculty research and teaching areas include: social inequality; gender and sexuality; immigration; sociology of law; politics and social movements; the state; deviance, crime, and punishment; urban sociology; environment and society; globalization; family; demography; historical sociology; social theory; and research methods.
In the Sociology Program, students are encouraged to engage in original research and experiential learning.